Best Australian streaming services 2024: Netflix, Stan, Disney and more compared (2025)

Somehow, it’s already October – perhaps 2024’s best month for streaming, with almost every service putting forth an array of luring additions. If you were already struggling to pick from Australia’s best streaming services, it doesn't get any easier this month with every service from Netflix and Prime Video to Stan, Binge, Disney Plus and Apple TV Plus, offering something for everyone – and we haven't even mentioned specialty services like Shudder, Britbox and Kayo sports.

With so much great content coming to the best services in Australia it's extremely difficult to subscribe to just one, and it’s even harder to afford multiple. Luckily, it is possible to watch the content that interests you the most and avoid blowing out your budget on basically untouched services. Unfortunately, it requires an amount of time and effort that most people don’t have – that’s why we've analysed each service and their monthly offerings, leaving you to find the one that’s for you and subscribe to it.

September added The Perfect Couple, The Penguin, Rebel Ridge, Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos, Slow Horses season 4, Agatha All Along and Wolfs starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney and Dune Prophecy is coming on November 18, but October might be the best of 2024. This month, Australia's best streaming services will add the all-new The Office, Shrinking season 2, Alfonso Cuarón's Disclaimer, Joan and Starting 5 – a docu-series following the biggest NBA stars – plus plenty of horror to sink your fangs into this spooky season.

No matter what you’re looking for this October, we've got you covered in this guide to Australia's best streaming services – starting with our pick for the best streaming service this month.

These platforms are constantly changing, so we keep this guide up-to-date with the latest news and ensure our monthly pick is accurate so you know exactly what you're getting.

Best streaming service this month (September 2024)

Best TV streaming service 2024 overview:

1. Netflix
2. Stan
3. Binge
4. Apple TV Plus
5. Disney Plus
6. Amazon Prime Video
7. Foxtel Now
8. Paramount Plus

Which streaming service is the best?

When you hear 'best TV streaming service' you probably think Netflix – and for good reason. Netflix has long been a powerhouse of content, with a massive catalogue of movies, TV shows, documentaries, kids content and everything in-between.

While it is still undoubtedly the king of streaming platforms when it comes to sheer numbers – with a whopping 296.9 million subscribers worldwide. That's considerably more than Prime Video's reported '200 million plus', more than Disney Plus and (HBO) Max combined, and more than 10 times Apple TV Plus's subscriber numbers – the writers' strike in 2023 caused some content delays for Netflix, and the introduction and improvement of competitors has also diminished Netflix's overall hold on the industry.

Despite those setbacks, Netflix still features some of the most popular shows of 2024 like Eric, Ripley, Bridgerton, Baby Reindeer, Bodkin and the brand new Supacell. There are also fan-favourite classics like Friends, Peaky Blinders, Gilmore Girls, Seinfeld and The Vampire Diaries. The stars of the show are, of course, still largely Netflix Originals like Stranger Things, Money Heist, Ozark, Emily in Paris and Black Mirror, and newer additions like Beef, American Nightmare, Wednesday and Worst Roommate Ever.

One of the ongoing problems with Netflix is its habit of breaking fans' hearts by axing even seemingly popular shows. Just last year, Netflix continued on its cancellation spree, cutting both 1899 and Inside Job after one season, so you may want to keep that history in the back of your mind before falling in love with a new show.

The cost of Netflix has also steadily increased since its introduction Down Under, including another hike in its prices just this past May. Introduced in 2022, Netflix's current cheapest tier, 'Standard with ads', will now set you back only AU$7.99 per month, though you’ll have to slog through ads before and during content. If you want to stay ad-free, the Standard subscription is substantially pricier at AU$18.99p/m; it provides two HD concurrent streams, downloads and the option to add a non-household member to your account for an extra AU$7.99p/m – an olive branch to account-sharers following Netflix’s password sharing crackdown in 2023. If you want 4K or more simultaneous streams, you'll need to pony up for Netflix's AU$22.99

Verdict: 5/5

Coming to Netflix this month

Netflix may have missed out on our top streamer award this month, but it continues to deliver incredibly strong line-ups in both September and October. Last month saw the addition of highly anticipated titles like The Perfect Couple, starring Nicole Kidman, Zack Snyder’s adult animated series Twilight of the Gods, and Rebel Ridge, which currently boasts a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

That said, we think Netflix’s October line-up is even stronger.

For fans of Quarterback and Receiver, and those clamouring for a similar show covering NBA superstars, October 9 is the day to mark. Starting 5 follows Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, Domantas Sabonis, Anthony Edwards, and Jimmy Butler during the 2023-24 NBA season, offering an inside look at the stars like never before.

Netflix is also kicking off the spooky season in style with It's What's Inside, a comedy-horror film debuting on October 4. Acquired for millions after its Sundance Film Festival premiere, this highly-rated horror centres around a pre-wedding party that takes a dark turn when an old friend arrives, eager to play a mysterious and dangerous game.

Another highlight is Woman of the Hour, arriving later this month. This crime thriller, directed by Anna Kendrick in her 2023 directorial debut, is based on the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala, who shockingly appeared on the reality show The Dating Game during his killing spree.

Also worth mentioning is the third season of Heartstopper, a beloved high school coming-of-age dramedy, celebrated for its authentic portrayal of LGBTQ+ relationships. Fans of the series won’t want to miss it.

Additionally, October 4 brings The Platform 2, the sequel to the chilling Spanish thriller. If you enjoyed Snowpiercer, The Platform is a must-watch. And on October 7, true crime enthusiasts should look out for The Menendez Brothers, a documentary delving into the infamous brothers’ crimes and the trial that followed. If you were captivated by Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, this documentary offers a deeper exploration of the case.

Also coming to Netflix Australia in October:

• October 1: 21 & 22 Jump Street / Halloween (2018) / It Chapter Two / Psycho / Psycho II / Red Dragon
• October 2: Chef's Table: Noodles / Unsolved Mysteries – Volume 5
• October 3: Heartstopper – season 3 / The Bad Guys: Haunted Heist / Trouble
• October 4: The Platform 2 / It’s What’s Inside
• October 7: The Menendez Brothers
• October 8: Bad Boys: Ride or Die
• October 9: Starting 5 / Love is Blind – Season 7
• October 10: Outer Banks – season 4, part 1 / Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft
• October 11: Lonely Planet / In Her Place / Uprising
• October 12: A Quiet Place Part II
• October 14: Might Monsterwheelies
• October 15: Spies in Disguise / Chucky – Season 1
• October 16: I am a Killer – season 5 / Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare / Justice
• October 17: Outside / The Lincoln Lawyer – season 3 / The Shadow Strays
• October 18: Late Night with the Devil / Scream / Woman of the Hour
• October 23: This is The Zodiac Speaking / The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox / Family Pack
• October 24: Territory / The Color Purple
• October 25: Don’t Move / Simone Biles Rising – Part 2
• October 26: Lisa Frankenstein / Scream VI
• October 30: Go Ahead, Brother / Martha / Time Cut
• October 31: The Diplomat – season 2 / Murder Mindfully

• Back to overview🔺

Australia’s very first streaming service – releasing way back in early 2015 – Stan has always been an incredibly popular streaming option, even when it looked drastically different to what it does now. And it's always been Australia-first. Heck, it even launched on Australia Day. It’s undergone some major changes in the last 9 years, completely evolving its library, international partnerships and price tiers – most recently, shuffling its library and changing pricing plans, with the Basic plan jumping to AU$12 per month this past March.

With almost 2.6 million subscribers Stan is popular for good reason, with an inexpensive and ad-free lowest tier, a variety of 4K viewing options, Stan Originals like Nicolas Cage's The Surfer, The Matildas documentary Trailblazers, international exclusives like Power, Billions and The Walking Dead: The Return, and a healthy amount of Aussie content to keep everyone happy. Not to mention a strong library of films and all-time-great shows like Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.

While it might not beat out Netflix for the top spot – its library is still significantly smaller and Netflix offers more fresh content – you won't be stuck with nothing to watch if you choose to go with Stan. No matter what you're into, be it documentaries, true crime, reality TV or drama, Stan has it all. And, if that's not enough, Stan sets itself apart from most of the best streaming services by offering a sports add-on for an extra AU$15 per month. Aptly named Stan Sport, it's worth checking out for any UEFA football, rugby union, and tennis fans, offering every game in the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League in Football, Super Rugby Pacific, Super Rugby W, Rugby Championship, Bledisloe Cup and all four tennis Majors, with main court streaming in 4K.

Alongside Binge, Stan increased the price of its Standard and Premium tiers by AU$1 in October. Stan's three tiers now cost at AU$12 p/m, AU$17p/m and AU$22p/m and offer one, three and four simultaneous streams respectively, with the devices you can download to numbering one, three and five. For 4K, you'll have to shell out for the Premium tier, with Basic offering only standard definition and the Standard tier offering 1080p HD.

Verdict: 4/5

Coming to Stan this month

Stan’s September line-up didn’t quite measure up to its competitors, but there was still plenty to enjoy. Highlights included The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol, Horizon: An American Saga starring Kevin Costner, season three of From, Power Book II: Ghost season 4, and Revealed: KillJoy.

Unfortunately, its October additions also struggle to compete with Netflix, Binge, or Apple TV Plus. However, there are still a few standout shows worth noting.

The most exciting release is the premiere of Joan, starring Game of Thrones and X-Men star Sophie Turner. In this series, Turner plays a fiery and determined mother trapped in a marriage with a violent criminal. When her husband is forced to go on the run, she seizes the opportunity for a new life – assuming new identities, forming dangerous alliances, and transforming into a masterful jewel thief.

While not a new show, This is Going to Hurt is a recent addition to Stan and deserves a mention. Equal parts hilarious and gut-wrenching, this British series is set in a labour ward, offering a brutally honest portrayal of life as a junior doctor.

Also worth checking out this month is the premiere of Dead & Buried, where Cathy McDaid encounters the man who killed her brother, and Thou Shalt Not Steal, a mini-series that follows Robyn, a young Aboriginal delinquent who embarks on a perilous journey across the outback after fleeing her small central desert community.

Also coming to Stan in October:

• October 1: Hitch / Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? – season 2
• October 2: This is Going to Hurt – Season 1 / Ben Gen 10
• October 3: Lucky Country
• October 4: Jumanji: The Next Level / Underground – Seasons 1 & 2 / Jumanji: The Next Level
• October 5: Burnt / Scooby-Doo! And Krypto, Too!
• October 6: Going Clear: Scientology and The Prison of Belief
• October 10: Se7en
• October 12: The Matrix Resurrections
• October 14: Radical / I'm Not A Killer
• October 15: Charlie's Angels (2000) / Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle / Charlie's Angels (2019)
• October 16: The Diplomat (UK): Season 1
• October 17: Thou Shalt Not Steal – Season 1 / Wagspiracy: Vardy vs Rooney
• October 18: Bad Boys (1995) / Bad Boys II / Bad Boys For Life
• October 19: New Leash On Life – season 1
• October 20: Octonauts: Great Swamp Search / The Uncovering / Everything Must Go
• October 22: The Conjuring / The Conjuring 2
• October 23: Carrie (1976)
• October 24: Dead & Buried – Season 1 / The Amityville Horror
• October 25: Child's Play (1988)
• October 26: Black Adam / Quo Vadis, Aida? / The Wiggles: The Sound of Halloween
• October 30: The Equalizer 2 / The Inbetweeners (2011 Movie) / Plane
• October 31: Poltergeist (2015) / Three Floors

• Back to overview🔺

As a News Corp-owned streaming service, Binge gets a bit of a bad wrap. All that aside, though, it's only the smallest issues – like a clunky app on most platforms – that hold it back from being the best streaming service. With a huge library of HBO shows, new releases and all the reality TV you could ever want though, it still might be the best for some.

The cheapest Binge plan, introduced back in March of last year, costs AU$10p/m and comes with ads. This basic tier also provides one stream at a time and only at a maximum of 1080p HD quality. Its Standard tier will increase its price from AU$18 to AU$19p/m, while Premium will set you back AU$22 per month. Binge's two higher tiers provide two and four simultaneous streams respectively, and 4K streaming.

There’s a lot to binge on Binge and a lot of places you can watch from, with access across most devices including gaming consoles, phones, web browsers and directly through an app on smart TVs. However, it's Binge's claim as the home of HBO shows in Australia that really helps this service to stand apart from its competitors and enhances its quality – delivering global smash-hit shows and movies directly from the US that would otherwise require one of the best VPN services, as Max (formerly HBO Max) is still not officially available Down Under.

Though Binge is the place to watch HBO Max in Australia for now, that is not going to be the case forever. There had been rumours of HBO Max coming to Australia forever, and we expected something to happen when News Corp's deal with HBO set to end in 2026. However, earlier this month Warner Bros. Discovery announced Max would be landing in Australia in the first half of 2025 – putting Binge’s claim to HBO in massive jeopardy.

Nevertheless, we expect Binge to continue enjoying HBO exclusives at least through the end of their “multi-year contract” and as long as it does, the best shows on Binge will be worth the cost. you can enjoy newer hits like The Penguin, Euphoria, The Last of Us, House of the Dragon and Mr Inbetween, There's also classics like The Sopranos, The Wire, Band of Brothers, Succession, Barry and Chernobyl – and everyone's favourite HBO baseball show, Eastbound & Down.

The service has also started to dip its toes into producing homegrown content, with the second season of the hilarious Colin from Accounts just wrapping up in June. So, as well as a massive library of content from CNN, WWE, MSNBC, History, Discovery, Lifestyle, Fox8, Comedy and more.

Verdict: 4.5/5

Coming to Binge this month

Binge, our top streaming service last month, came close to winning back-to-back honours after delivering hits like Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos, and The Penguin. October’s line-up is almost as impressive, with four new shows that could easily find their way onto our list of the best shows on Binge.

HBO’s The Franchise is a comedy about the crew of a struggling franchise film, hilariously capturing the chaos of moviemaking as they battle for relevance in a wild and unruly cinematic universe. If you’re in the mood for something spooky, Teacup has you covered. Despite its innocent-sounding name, Teacup follows a group of neighbours who must put aside their differences to confront a deadly threat – complete with a mysterious child who knows far more than anyone else.

Sweetpea is a dark comedy about Rhiannon, who’s had enough of being ignored and bullied, and turns to vengeful murder. Then there’s Caddo Lake, a film produced by M. Night Shyamalan, where an 8-year-old girl mysteriously disappears – was she taken? Did she drown? Or is the lake hiding a sinister, supernatural secret?

Also coming this month is Hysteria!, where a high school band gains a reputation as a Satanic heavy metal group, triggering a series of supernatural events and a full-blown witch hunt. And, of course, What We Do in the Shadows is back, bringing everyone’s favourite comedic take on the lives of vampires.

Most importantly, not coming to Binge in October (or November) is the latest 15th season of The Great British Bake Off. While everyone's favourite English baking competition has kicked off already on Netflix US, Australian's will have to wait – season 15 of GBBO comes to Binge on December 3, 2024.

Also coming to Binge in October:

• October 1: Lethal Weapon –seasons 1-3 / Carrie /
• October 2: The Real Housewives of NYC – season 15
• October 3: Velma: This Halloween Needs to be More Special / Salem’s Lot
• October 4: Law & Order – Season 24 / Found – season 2 /
• October 5: The Great Escaper / Gremlins: The Wild Batch –season 2
• October 6: WWE Bad Blood 2024
• October 7: The Franchise – season 1 / Next Goal Wins
• October 8: Superman & Lois –season 4
• October 9: When Missing Turns to Murder –season 2
• October 10: Teacup – season 1 / Sweetpea –season 1 / Caddo Lake
• October 11: Almost Unsolved – season 1
• October 14: The Great Celebrity Bake Off –season 7 / The Railway Murders –season 1
• October 16: American Horror Stories– season 3B / The Battle of the Sexes
• October 18: Hysteria! –season 1 / Martin Scorsese’s Short Films
• October 20: Immaculate
• October 22: What We Do in the Shadows – season 6
• October 24: The Color Purple
• October 25: Gogglebox UK –season 23 / Celebrity Gogglebox UK – season 6
• October 26: Lisa Frankenstein
• October 28: Somebody Somewhere –season 3 / Monkey Man
• October 29: 1000-lb Sisters –season 5 / Joy Division / Anger Within: Jonah Lomu – A Rugby Legend
• October 31: Escape to the Country –season 31

• Back to overview🔺

Despite getting off to a strong start when it launched with shows like For All Mankind and Morning Wars back in 2019, it’s taken some time for Apple to firmly find its footing in the TV streaming world. With the releases of Black Bird, Severance and Slow Horses in 2022 however, the service arguably reached a turning point. While not everything since has been a hit, even lower-quality Apple TV content has a level of production that’s rare in streaming service exclusives – matched only rarely in shows like The Gentleman on Netflix, Hulu's The Bear on Disney Plus or the best of HBO on Binge.

From the three aforementioned hits to Constellation, Palm Royale, Ted Lasso and the recent Manhunt and The New Look, the budget, acting talent and writing pedigree on Apple TV shows is rare in the streaming service world. There’s no shortage of stars either: just in that short list we have Taron Edgerton, Austin Butler, Barry Keoghan, Jason Sudeikis and Ben Mendohlson. Apple has more money than any other streaming service by a significant margin – even Amazon and Disney – and it’s been putting that money to good use.

You might think that Apple-produced films come to their streaming service super-fast, but that's not really the case. It took around three months for Killers of the Flower Moon to make its way to streaming, which, while fast, isn't any faster than movies are available to rent on Prime Video. The biggest string in Apple's movie-bow is Apple TV Plus original films like Tom Hanks' Finch and Greyhound, alongside Spirited, The Greatest Beer Run Ever and the Best Picture Oscar-winning CODA – which you should definitely add to your watchlist if you haven’t already seen it.

With more movies coming, you can expect bigger and better movies coming to Apple TV Plus faster and faster, making this service even better. For now though, there is still plenty to love. Just in recent months Apple has added Jake Gyllenhaal's Presumed Innocent, Vince Vaughn's Bad Monkey, Sunny, The Lady in the Lake, The Instigators starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck and Pachinko season 2.

Verdict: 4/5

Coming to Apple TV Plus this month:

For some reason, Apple TV Plus continues to let its shows silently succeed with minimal advertising – but luckily, we’re here to fill the gap. September brought us the fourth season of Slow Horses and Wolfs, a film starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney, and October promises even more exciting content.

The standout addition this month is Disclaimer, a mini-series written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón (the Oscar-winning director of Children of Men, Roma, Gravity, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) and starring Cate Blanchett, a two-time Oscar winner for her roles in The Aviator and Blue Jasmine. Disclaimer is a psychological thriller following a television documentary journalist who uncovers the hidden transgressions of long-respected institutions.

Another major release is the return of Shrinking for its second season. This heartfelt comedy-drama, starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, is a brilliant mix of real, tear-jerking moments and hilarious humour. The series follows a therapist, struggling with the death of his wife and his strained relationship with his daughter, who begins giving his clients brutally honest advice instead of the usual sugar-coated therapy.

On October 25, Apple TV Plus will debut a new mini-series called Before, starring Billy Crystal. A psychological mystery, this series takes a more serious turn for Crystal, as he plays child psychiatrist Eli Adler, a man grieving the suicide of his wife. Adler’s life takes a strange twist when he meets a troubled boy who seems to have an uncanny connection to his past.

Also coming this month is Where’s Wanda, a German comedy about desperate parents Dedo and Carlotta Klatt, who continue searching for their missing daughter months after her disappearance. Finally, there’s The Last of the Sea Women, a documentary that tells the incredible story of the Haenyeo divers from South Korea’s Jeju Island, who have been harvesting seafood from the ocean depths for centuries.

Also coming to Apple TV Plus in October:

• October 2: Where’s Wanda?
• October 11: Disclaimer* / The Last of the Sea Women
• October 16: Shrinking – season 2
• October 25: Before

• Back to overview🔺

There’s a lot of appeal to Disney Plus, and compared to when the service first landed in Australia, it has expanded extensively. However, while it doesn't perhaps have the diversity to be a sole streaming service for most people, it excels as a one worth subscribing to for specific releases, like The Bear or the latest Marvel or Star Wars content, or as a secondary service that leans more family-friendly.

The incorporation of the Star content hub in 2021 really diversified the Disney Plus line-up – doubling the library and offering high-quality shows intended for mature audiences and movies from other Disney-owned brands like ABC, Disney TV Studios, FX, Touchstones, 20th Century Studios and more.

Disney Plus now offers two subscription tiers in Australia – Standard for AU$13.99p/m and Premium for AU$17.99p/m. Premium adds 4K resolution, Dolby Audio and four concurrent streams. By comparison, the Standard tier only offers two concurrent streams, HD quality streams and standard audio.

Verdict: 4/5

Coming to Disney Plus this month

While Disney Plus dominated the Emmy Awards and boasts some of the year’s best shows, including The Bear and Shōgun, its October lineup is arguably the weakest among all streaming services this month.

Agatha All Along will continue with weekly releases, but beyond that, the pickings are fairly slim. Fans of the original Wizards of Waverly Place may find themselves a bit old for the reboot, but Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is coming this October, with Selena Gomez reprising her role. In this new series, Alex (Gomez) introduces Billie, a young wizard-in-training, to her old friend Justin, hoping he’ll take on a mentorship role.

Rock fans have something to look forward to as well. On October 19, Disney Plus will air the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and later in the month, Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, a documentary covering Springsteen’s preparation for his 2023-24 world tour, will also be available.

Other October releases on Disney Plus include Witches: The Truth Behind the Trials, a documentary series delving into six of history’s most infamous witch trials, season 33 of Dancing with the Stars, and a new Simpsons short titled The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Also coming to Disney Plus in October:

• October 3: Witches: The Truth Behind the Trials
• October 5: The Biggest Little Farm
• October 7: Bluey Minisodes / Dancing with the Stars – season 33
• October 11: The Simpsons – "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
• October 18: LEGO Marvel Avengers: Mission Demolition
• October 19: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
• October 25: Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
• October 30: Wizards Beyond Waverly Place

• Back to overview🔺

Like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video has its own set of awesome original series – Fallout, Reacher, Mr & Mrs Smith, Upload, Invincible and The Boys among others, just to name a few. The same can be said about Amazon's original movies – Ricky Stanicky and Road House.

What can't be denied about Prime Video is its truly giant content library, with a massive amount of shows and movies to watch and a whole lot more available behind optional add-on subscriptions.. And, while it's certainly the worst streaming service when it comes to user experience through the app (though Binge might have an argument there) the sheer number of movies and shows on Prime tend to paper over any issues.

The big point of difference between Prime Video and other streaming platforms is that its price includes access to the full arsenal of Amazon Prime services – Amazon Music, Prime Reading, Prime Gaming and premium delivery services for a flat monthly fee of AU$9.99 or AU$79 per year. It really is insane value. Unfortunately, that has changed slightly as of July 2024, as Prime Video introduced ads in Australia on July 2.

Fortunately, depending on how you look at it, you can pay a small additional fee of AU$3 each month to remain ad-free. If you use Amazon Prime, paying an extra AU$3 for ad-free Prime Video isn't the worst thing in the world, but it's quite the increase for those whose main use-case of Prime membership is Prime Video.

Amazon Prime Video also gives you the option of signing up to third-party streaming services such as Paramount Plus, AMC+ and Shudder. This means you can avoid creating multiple accounts across numerous services and instead use your Amazon Prime account for access. It also means installing fewer apps, because each of these additional services appear within Prime Video as dedicated 'Channels'. Apple TV Plus has a similar feature, working as a hub for all your apps like Binge and Stan.

Verdict: 4/5

Coming to Prime Video this month:

Prime Video’s output in October can’t match the offerings of Netflix, Apple TV or Binge, but there is still plenty of content for Prime members to enjoy. The standout show arriving this month is easy to pick: The Office Australia lands on October 18.

This eight-episode series seems to be aiming for a one-to-one remake of the American version, and while the trailer was embarrassingly cringeworthy – though not in a good way –I have to admit it got a few laughs around the TechRadar office. As the thirteenth adaptation of the beloved series, this version follows Hannah Howard, the charming yet inept new female boss. Or should we call her Michaela Scott?

Though it premiered in September, The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power is worth mentioning as the finale of its second season airs this month. Another key October addition is season 3 of The Legend of Vox Machina, an animated fantasy action-comedy that’s incredibly highly regarded, boasting a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It stars renowned voice actors Laura Bailey (Abby in The Last of Us: Part II and Nadine in Uncharted 4) and Ashley Johnson, the voice of Ellie in The Last of Us video game series.

Two other noteworthy Prime Video releases this month include Canary Black and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, which kicks off on October 3, with our Aussie women taking on Sri Lanka on October 5. Canary Black is a spy thriller from Taken director Pierre Morel, starring Kate Beckinsale as a CIA agent who is blackmailed by terrorists, forcing her to choose between her husband’s life and her loyalty to her country.

For those after something spooky, Speak No Evil will be available for purchase in October. Based on the Danish thriller of the same name, this horror film comes from Blumhouse Productions and is directed by James Watkins, known for The Woman in Black and Eden Lake. Starring James McAvoy, the story follows an American couple and their daughter as they stay at a British family’s idyllic estate, with the holiday slowly unravelling as everyone struggles to maintain politeness.

Also coming to Prime Video in October:

• October 1: Challengers
• October 3: ICC T20 Women’s World Cup 2024 / House of Spoils / Legend of Vox Machina – season 3
• October 10: Citadel: Diana
• October 18: The Office Australia
• October 24: Canary Black

• Back to overview🔺

Remember 10 All Access? Well, like a caterpillar into a butterfly, that service has emerged from its cocoon as Paramount Plus, a more prestigious-sounding affair that hopes to draw people in with the promise of exclusive shows and blockbuster releases soon after their theatrical debuts.

Unfortunately, none of that really exists, with only a meagre offering of exclusive shows and mostly lacklustre original films. The Australian version also has previously had delays on movie releases, which hit the US version of the streamer within the promised 35-40 day release period.

Formerly, Paramount Plus subscribers down under could brag about a cheaper subscription price than those in the United States, but with the price hike on the 28th of August, that's no longer the case. A Paramount Plus subscription now costs $10.99 AUD per month or $97.99 AUD per year, and if you're already a subscriber your next payment on or after 28 September 2024 will be at this new rate. That's still pretty cheap for a service that offers 4K content, and its September offering certainly doesn't hurt, either.

In terms of content that is there, Paramount Plus folds in pre-existing shows from 10 All Access along with a decent selection of on-demand movies and shows from Viacom’s various holdings, which include Showtime, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and Smithsonian Channel.

You can even watch Live Sport on Paramount Plus, including the A-leagues and FA Cups at any time during the day when matches are streamed through CBSN.

Paramount Plus can also be added as a channel in your Amazon Prime Video subscription, and you can even find a deal on the service through Amazon Prime Video on the odd occasion as well.

Paramount Plus still has made some major improvements in the last few years, and you can check out the following series on the platform: Dexter: New Blood, Seal Team, The Gilded Age, Frasier, Top Gear Australia, Rabbit Hole, YellowJackets, Why Women Kill and Special Ops: Lioness. If you're looking to try it out, like the sound of one or two shows or aren't sure if Paramount Plus is for you, Paramount Plus's low entry price and free trial makes it easy to experiment with.

Verdict: 3/5

Coming to Paramount Plus this month

Subscribers will be very pleased with what's coming to Paramount Plus in October, with something for almost every type of viewer. First, and perhaps most importantly depending on who you ask, is Aussie Shore. The first Australian spin-off of the original Jersey Shore series, this reality show follows twelve "unapologetically wild, sexy, hilarious, authentic, and confident" singles living together for several weeks in Cairns.

But it’s not all reality TV. NCIS: Origins gives viewers a glimpse of a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, years before the events of NCIS, while a remake of Matlock stars Kathy Bates as she re-enters the workforce at a prestigious law firm. Also coming is season two of Special Ops: Lioness, starring Nicole Kidman and Zoe Saldana.

For fans of adult animation, Star Trek: Lower Decks kicks off its fifth season, and on October 17, Paramount Plus adds season 4 of Ghosts, a US sitcom in which a young couple inherits a haunted house. Sports and documentary enthusiasts can also look forward to The Greatest Little Club On Earth, which explores the rise, fall, and resurgence of the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League.

Also coming to Paramount Plus in October:

• 3 October – Aussie Shore
• 11 October – SpongeBob SquarePants Kreepaway Kamp
• 15 October –NCIS: Origins
• 16 October–FBI: Most Wanted season 6 / FBI season 7 / FBI: International season 4
• October 17 – The Greatest Little Club On Earth / Matlock
• 18 October – Elsbeth season 2 / Ghosts season 4
• 19 October –Fire Country season 3
• 22 October –Poppa’s House
• 24 October –Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5
• 27 October – Lioness season 2
• 30 October –Max & The Midknights

• Back to overview🔺

For years, access to Foxtel required users to sign up for a traditional pay TV subscription – that meant getting technicians over to install a box in your living room.

That all changed with Foxtel Now – a simple streaming service that only requires an internet connection and a device to stream on.

Foxtel Now is a Netflix-style, streaming-only Foxtel package that lets you watch all of the service's catch-up content, as well as its live TV streams.

All you have to do is sign up online, choose your streaming packages, download the app and away you go. Best of all, you don't have to sign any contracts and you can cancel anytime.

It must be said that if you want everything that Foxtel Now has to offer, you'll have to pay quite a bit. Foxtel Now starts at per month for the mandatory Essentials base pack, which includes over 30 channels.

You have the option to build your own bundle, selecting only the content that matters to you. However, you can get all the essentials plus the drama, sport and movies packs for just AU$58p/m over 12 months – that's a total saving of AU$312 over an entire year.

That said, it's hard to argue with Foxtel Now's enormous content library, and the inclusion of streaming access to Foxtel's live TV channels will certainly appeal to many. Of course, if all you want is access to HBO shows and other non-sports Foxtel exclusives, you're better off signing up for the more affordable Binge.

With a large variety of channels, there’s something for everyone on Foxtel Now, and along with the entire Binge library, you can catch the following hit shows across the platform: Succession, House of the Dragon, Below Deck: Mediterranean, Call the Midwife, Vera, Mr Inbetween and Bluey. Don't worry, you don't have to lock yourself into a big monthly payment – try it out for free with Foxtel Now's 10-day free trial.

Verdict: 3.5/5

Coming to Foxtel Now this month

• October 1 –Hero Elementary
• October 2 –Wonderwoman 1984 / Shriektober
• October 3 –The Kingmaker: John Brennan
• October 7 –Buying It Blind S1 / Forensic Files II / Ancient Aliens S13 /Ocean Wreck Investigation
• October 9–Free Guy
• October 10 –The Dry / The Real Housewives Of Melbourne S5
• October 13 –Grantchester
• October 16 –Promising Young Woman
• October 18 –Spotlight On Michael Caine / Succession S3
• October 21 – Aquaman: King Of Atlantis / Dragons Den S18
• October 22 – Bake Off: The Professionals S5
• October 24 – Penguin Bloom
• October 30 – Nobody

• Back to overview🔺

Specialty services

As Australia's only streaming service dedicated exclusively to sporting events, Kayo Sports is a terrific option for those who want to avoid a traditional Foxtel subscription, only paying for what they want – lots and lots of sport. And it now operates through Hubbl, like Binge.

Kayo does a remarkable job of providing instant streaming access to over 50 different sports, although the content is nearly identical to what you'll find on Foxtel's services – which shouldn't be a surprise, as Kayo retains the same broadcast and streaming rights as its pay-TV big brother.

You’ll get access to all seven of the Fox Sports channels, plus the Fox Sports news stream, three beIN Sports options and two ESPN channels offered by Foxtel. That's not to say that Kayo offers everything you could possibly want, as there are some noticeable omissions in the service's content offering. Unfortunately, Kayo doesn't provide access to the three Premier League Club channels (Liverpool TV, Chelsea TV and Manchester United TV), Sky Racing channels or Eurosport. Tennis fans will also not have access to any grand slam.

If that isn't too much of an issue, there's plenty of other sports to choose from, including NBA, NFL, the NRL, international cricket, World Surf League, Formula 1 and more. And that's just the live sport. There's an abundance of documentaries, talk shows, Kayo Mini's (condensed versions of past games) and plenty more for sports lovers to enjoy.

Additionally, Kayo offers several unique and useful streaming features, such as picture-in-picture video, a 'key moments' feature that shows just the highlights, the ability to block spoilers for a match you haven't watched yet and a customisable playback speed.

Kayo has recently introduced 4K streaming, a big win for customers who are keen to catch all the sporting action in 4K, but it does come at a cost. Kayo's shaken up its subscription plans, now offering the choice between two tiers – Kayo One which will set you back AU$25 per month with one single HD stream and Kayo Basic for AU$35 per month for two.

Verdict: 4/5

The brainchild of two major British broadcasters – ITV and BBC – BritBox is a streaming platform dedicated to delivering everything good about British TV outside the UK, including Australia.

As you can probably tell by the name, BritBox provides exclusively British content. This includes shows such as Luther, Line of Duty, All Creatures Great and Small and Prey. Unfortunately, Dr Who is no longer available on the platform, so you'll have to head to Disney Plus for the latest from The Doctor.

BritBox has had a price increase in 2024, jumping up to AU$9.99 per month along with the annual subscription now costing AU$99.99 per year as of February 22, 2024. There is a 7-day free trial for the service, but this trial period disappears during promotional periods.

Features of this service include up to four simultaneous HD streams as well as a wide range of devices including Android, iOS, Apple TV, Fetch TV, Telstra TV and Google Chromecast, with apps available for LG and Samsung smart TVs, Android TV, Windows 10 and Chrome OS.

Plus, you can add BritBox as a channel to your Amazon Prime account, so you don't have to switch between apps to catch some good British TV.

Verdict: 4/5

Coming to Britbox this month

While it might not possess the monthly additions of the big services above, there's always a healthy stream of content to enjoy on Britbox, and October is no different.

Detectorists comes on October 22, and in this BAFTA winning comedy, friends Lance and Andy explore their local village looking for secret treasure and a little bit of luck. And remember – they're not metal detectors. They're detectorists.

And, while it won't be everyone's cup of tea, landing on October 8 is Britain's Scenic Railways – a gorgeous journey exploring Britain's most scenic railways, meeting the teams protecting the tracks and preserving the heritage of these scenic railways along the way.

Also coming to Britbox in October:

• October 8 –Britain's Scenic Railways
• October 10 –Shetland season 8
• October 18 – Passenger
• October 22 – Detectorists
• October 24 –Dalgliesh season 2

A streaming service that's strictly for horror fans, Shudder offers a vast selection of frightening flicks, both old and new, along with a growing library of original films, TV shows, documentaries, podcasts and live-streaming events.

Shudder Originals include FX guru Greg Nicotero's Creepshow TV series, the blood-drenched cult flick Revenge, the Indigenous zombie film Blood Quantum, and the critically adored movie Host, which sees a demonic presence infiltrate an online séance.

Admittedly, Shudder has some work to do when it comes to competing with the big streaming players. For one, its maximum streaming resolution is 720p (with many older movies available in standard definition only). And while its device compatibility has come a long way since its US launch, there's no Shudder app for gaming consoles and many TV brands.

That said, you can't argue with Shudder’s price, which is set at a very reasonable AU$6.99 per month (and even cheaper at its yearly rate of $69.99, essentially netting you two free months of the service).

If you're a horror aficionado with a thirst for (fake) blood, you can test the Shudder waters with a free 7-day trial, with the option to add it on as a channel through Amazon Prime Video as well.

Shudder subscribers were cheering last month, as In a Violent Nature finally arrived. Also arriving in September was The Demon Disorder – an Australian horror that follows Jake and Phillip Reilly and their dead father, whose garage becomes the site of revenge after a family secret is uncovered – Horror's Greatest which is a a deep dive into everything horror, Oddity, Candyman (1992) and Salem's Lot. But enough with last month – the spooky season is finally upon us, and October is where Shudder thrives.

Coming to Shudder this month

Also one to watch for is The Exorcism. It might not win any Oscar awards anytime soon, but horrors are at their best when based around religion, and it stars Russell Crowe – so how bad can it be? And hey, bad horror movies are the best, anyway.

Also coming to Shudder in October:

• October 1 –The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula season 6,
• October 4 – V/H/S Beyond
• October 11 –Daddy's Head / Metamorphosis
• October 18 – MadS / Virus:32
• October 25 Azrael
• October 30:The Exorcism / Late Night with the Devil
• October 31: Halloween

If you're the type of sports fan who's absolutely obsessed with football (better known to Aussies as soccer), then Optus Sport is the streaming service for you.

While Kayo or Stan Sport may offer a more rounded sports-watching experience, Optus Sport is dedicated to providing access to every type of soccer coverage imaginable.

For AU$24.99 per month or AU$199 per year, Optus Sport brings you unlimited access to the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, J.League, UEFA EURO 2020, Internationals and FA Women's Super League games, meaning you'll never be short of football content to park yourself in front of.

Additionally, a subscription to Optus Sport also grants you access to the service's fitness content, allowing you to work out alongside handy training videos in a number of areas, including HIIT, yoga, cardio, pilates, core, dancing and more.

Boasting excellent device support and an affordable price point, Optus Sport is a terrific option for football junkies. That said, some areas could see improvement. For instance, while subscribers may register up to four devices, only two can be streamed concurrently and the second device must be a Fetch TV box.

Picture quality is good, although the resolution junkies out there will quickly notice that Optus Sport's maximum 1080p resolution isn't true 1080p. The service's feeds are received at 720p and upscaled. Additionally, the service no longer offers a free trial period and costs AU$24.99 per month, but existing and new Optus customers can bundle the service for only AU$6.99 per month.

Having trouble Keeping Up with the Kardashians? Well, you're in luck, because the streaming service Hayu not only has every single episode of theirs available to watch instantly, but it also provides access to hundreds of other reality shows.

That isn't an understatement – pick a city at random and chances are that Hayu has a Real Housewives show that's set in that very location*.

*We don't mind a touch of exaggeration, okay?

That's not all – while Hayu's junk food menu is undeniably extensive, the service also offers more serious content on its menu, including many true crime docu-series, such as Up and Vanished, In Ice Cold Blood (hosted by Ice-T, no less) and much more.

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